Hot but Safe at Camelback

Weather:  103º, sunny

Time:  42 minutes

About this Hike:  I think I found my limit for summertime hikes at Camelback. The heat felt oppressive today.  Granted, I got started around 11 AM, which was later than I would like to have commenced.

That said, I took it very slow—hence posting a time to the summit of about 10 minutes longer than normal.  I drank a lot of electrolyte water.  I took plenty of rest breaks in what little shade I could find.

I never felt sick, dizzy, or any other distressing symptoms.  I was responsible with sunscreen and don't appear to have gotten burned.  But this was not a fun hike.  It was too hot. 

And while I enjoyed having the trail almost entirely to myself, the silence was eerie.  "What if I end up in distress up here?," and other such negative thoughts were going thru my head.

A few times I saw low-flying police choppers on patrol.  PHX PD knows many bad hiking statistics are created on days like today.

Thankfully the only stat I am is one of the thousand who hike Camelback, get back to their car, and go home.

It was a convenient day to hike today, but I'm not sure it was a good day for a hike.  

Independence Day Long Weekend & Echo Canyon

Weather:  95º, sunny

Time:  33 minutes

About this Hike:  What a great day to have off!  I know some people ended up having to work this post-Fourth Friday, but thankfully I was not one of them.

The Echo Canyon parking lot was fairly open when I arrived just after 9 this morning.   Temperatures were on the climb, but still safely below 100º. 

I enjoyed an uneventful and uncrowded climb to the summit.  At the top, the ugly smoke plume from the Gila 35 fire was plainly visible. 

I've frequented Camelback on and around the Fourth for many years, and today was no exception.